Ryze’s Abilities Undergoing Significant Changes on PBE
Ryze is once again receiving a set of changes on the PBE, making it the fourth major adjustment this season. While it can be challenging for fans to constantly adapt to a champion’s changes, it is crucial to address and fix any issues.
There are substantial updates on the PBE that might be mistaken for another Ryze rework. Almost all of his abilities are getting new effects and mechanical changes.
Changes to Q Ability: Overload
His primary damage-dealing ability, Overload, is undergoing several balance changes. This includes higher AP scaling, lower mana scaling, mana cost nerfs, and duration tweaks. The most significant change is the addition of a new effect: Overload will now deal True Damage to enemies with Flux applied. True Damage ignores all resistances.
At first, this may seem like a substantial buff, but it is actually replacing the Overload damage buff on Spell Flux, which is being completely removed. Overall, the damage remains mostly the same. Testing on the PBE has shown that it can be a buff in longer games, particularly at levels 15 and 16. Against tanks, it feels like a buff due to the percentage conversion to True Damage.
Changes to W Ability: Rune Prison
Rune Prison is undergoing even more significant changes. It will no longer root enemies; instead, it will apply a slow that decays over 1.5 seconds. This change is beneficial, as point-and-click hard crowd control offers limited counterplay. Casting Rune Prison on an enemy with Flux will convert the slow into a root.
To balance this nerf, other aspects of the ability have been buffed. The mana cost has been removed, and casting Rune Prison now restores Ryze’s mana pool by a percentage. It also deals more damage, scaling with four percent of his bonus mana. The cooldown has increased by two seconds.
Changes to E Ability: Spell Flux
Spell Flux is receiving similar changes to Overload. The scaling mana damage is slightly lower, while the AP scaling is increased. The ability’s spread damage is also increased from 50 percent to 100 percent, almost compensating for the removal of the Overload buff.
Changes to R Ability: Realm Warp
Realm Warp is also getting a makeover. While it receives a significant range boost, the ultimate’s cooldown is increased to 300 seconds at rank one, gradually decreasing to 180 seconds at max rank. This range boost enhances the ability’s effectiveness, but players will need to carefully consider when to use it due to the extended cooldown.
It is uncertain whether these changes will make Ryze weaker or stronger, but they do make him more accessible. This mini-rework is expected to go live with Patch 8.9 in two weeks.
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